VOL. Xtll.
IsTlSW BLOOMFIELID, I3 A.., TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 1871.
NO. 26.
THE TIMES.
An independent Family Newspaper,
18 PUBLISHED IVERT TUB8DAT BT
F. MORTIMER & CO.
SUBSCniFIION PltlCK.
(WITHIW TH8 COUNTY. )
One Year 1 21
91 x Months 75
(OUT OF TDB COUNTY.)
One Year. (Postage Included) II w
Six Months. (Postage Included) 85
Invariably lu Advance I
- Advertising rates furnished upon application.
geledt Poeti'y.
TRUST.
I cannot see with my small human eight,
Why God should lead this way or that for
me?
I only know he salth, " Child, follow me,"
But I can trust.
I know not why my path should be at
times
8o straltly hedged, so strangely barred bo
fore (
I only know Qod could keep wide the door,
But I can trust.
I often wonder, as with trembling hand
J cast the seed along the furrowed ground,
If ripened fruit for God will there be found,
But X can trust.
1 cannot know why suddenly the storm
6hould rage so fiercely round me in Its
wrath ;
(But this I know, God watches all my path,
And I can trust.
I may not draw aside the mystic veil
That hides the unknown future from my
sight ;
Nor know If for me waits the dark or light
But I can trust.
I have no power to look across the tide,
To know, while here, the land across the
river t ,
But this I know, I shall be God's forever
So I can trust.
MRS. COBB'S PLOT,
OR
ALL IS FAIR IN LOVE.
ALL the family, with the exception
of Jennie, were seated in the great
cheery kitchen. To-morrow was Satur
day, and Mrs. Cobb was paring apples
in anticipation of to-morrow's baking.
" Where's Jenny V" asked that lady at
length. " I want her to help me. She
isn't good for much of anything these
days. If 't a'n't slngln'-school night,
why, it's a gettin' ready for singln'
echool night, or hevln' company, or
Bomethin' or other."
" She's in the front room, a lightin'
up," replied Bob, who was a regular
-store-house of useful knowledge. " I
heard 'em say in the store how her beau
was comin' over from Rockville to
night." "Her beaul" exclaimed Mrs. Cobb,
Aghast. " Why, John Prendergrast's
her beau, if she's got one. He's bin a
oin' with her ever sence they was chil
dren ; but she don't light up the front
room for him, and he don't live over to
Rockville neither. It can't be she has
asked that good-for-nothin' flnified
Frank Walters over here, with his per
fumery a smellln', and his power of
manners. If she hez, she shall never do
it again -never 1"
And the excited lady threw her apples
into the waste-basket, and carefully
-saved the parings.
" Now, ma," said prudent Pa Cobb
over the farmers' almanac, " you jest let
Jennie alone, and it'll come out all
right. Ef you go nieddlin', you'll only
make bad matters worse. Keep still a
while, and let her go her own goes ; and
ef John ain't a bigger fool 'n I think he
is, he'll keep still too, and bide his
time."
And Pa Cobb finally had his way;
and restlees Jennie, who soon appeared
with a look of not altogether pleased
-expectation in her pretty face, was al
lowed to remain unquestioned while the
apple-parings dropped swiftly from her
impatient, nervous little fingers.
In the course of fifteen minutes, John
Pendergrast walked in at the back door,
unannounced, as was his usual custom.
Jennie looked decidedly taken aback;
for, as be had spent the evening before
at the Cobb fireside, it would hardly
lie expected that be would come again
so soon.
41 Want another hand at your apples,
Mrs. Cobb V" said the young man in a
hearty, ringing voice, that was pleasant
to hear.
" No, thank you ; they're most done
now. But you're always welcome as the
sun, John ; you know that."
John looked at Jennie as If he wished
to heat this sentiment confirmed In that
direction.
But she did not look up. In fact, she
had been staring very hard at a red
cheeked Baldwin ever since he came
in.
Then there was a ring at the front
door bell ; at wblch every one seemed
startled, for the sound of that bell was
a rare occurrence. The minister rang it
sometimes when he came to call, and
ladies from far-away neighborhoods
when they came to the sewing circle.
Otherwise it was silent. The hired man
looked in from the back room, his eyes
open to their widest extent; the baby
woke, and contributed fierce cries to the
general excitement; and the children
stood on their heads with expectation.
Jennie colored to the roots of her hair,
and hastened away to answer the bell ;
while the hired girl stole down two or
three steps of the front stairs to listen.
" Cfo in, John," said Mrs. Cobb, indi
cating the door with her eyes ; "there's
somebody in the front room 'it wants to
see you."
John looked bewildered, but did not
stir.
Pa Cobb placidly read his almanac.
" I shall esteem it a great favor if you
will go in, John," continued Mrs. Cobb
solemnly.
John accordingly rose, and obeyed her
request, without the least suspicion
what or whom he was going to en
counter. Frank Waters, the dainty clerk in the
variety store at Rockville Corner, sat
very lazily in an arm-chair at no great
distance from Jennie, who was blushing
and looking very conscious. The at
mosphere was filled with the mingled
perfumes of hair-oil and patchouly.
The room was "fixed up" very carefully
too ; John noticed that. The melodeon
was open, and on the rack was placed
the tender ballad of "Maggie Darling."
A vase with one of Grandma Prescott's
monthly roses in it adorned the centre
table; and the bright worsted tidy,
through whose Intricate meshes he had
watched Jennie's pretty fingers through
several blissful evenings, was finished
and spread In all Its glory over the arm
of the sofa.
" Ah 1 good-evening, Mr. Mr. I've
forgotten the name, weally," said Mr.
Waters condescendingly, and imitating
successfully the manner of a summer
boarder who had excited his envy and
admiration last season because he had
pleased the young ladies more than he
himself had the honor of.doing.
" Pendergrast," said Jennie, with a
confused tongue. ,
"Ah, yes! Pendergrast. I have had
the pleasure of seeing you in my estab
lishment, I believe, Mr. Pendergrast."
" I sometimes go over to Mr. White's
store," said John stiffly, but not with
out a little flicker of amusement in his
blue eyes in spite of the horrible jeal
ousy which was raging in his breast.
Mr. Waters winced a little.and the two
sat glaring at each other in silence for a
few moments.
Jennie cast a little indignant glance at
John, and broke the silence before it be
came quite unendurable, by asking Mr.
Waters if he thought it would storm to
morrow. "Well, weally, Miss Jennie," he re
plied, " I'm a weal poor weather-wise.
You'd better ask Mr. ah Mr. Peuder
grast; he's out-of-doors so much, a dig
ging potatoes and a hoein' cabbages, that
probably he gits used to the look of the
sky. Anyhow, we don't care what the
weather is to-morrow, if it clears off
Thursday in time for our dance, do
weV"
John was furious ; not at the fling
against his -occupation, but that he
should dare to use the word "we" in
connection with Jennie and himself,
with such amazing coolness and confl
dence. He dared not trust himself to
speak for some time time, and was oblig
ed to hold himself into his seat, so
strong was his Impulse to seize Mr.
Waters by his collar, and throw him
out-of-doors.
It was Jennie's turn to be angry with
Mr. Waters now ; and she turned to
John with a smile of great sweetness,
and Ignored her other admirer.
Mr. Waters, with a great deal of quick
ness, then commenced to shower down
politeness upon the head of his enemy,
and was pleasantly apologetic. '
John continued to be savage, how
ever, and made himself so disagreeable
that Jennie finally turned her back upon
him completely, and she and Mr. Wa
ters had the conversation entirely to
themselves.
John sat with the aspect of a revenge
ful robber for a few minutes, and then
sulkily left the room. He was about to
leave the house, when Mrs. Cobb, called
to him to return.
" John," said she breathlessly, " pa
has gone to bed and I want to have a
talk with you. Don't you think Bob
heard that Jennie promised to go over
to Rockville to the dance Thursday
night with that puppy of a Waters, and
I want you to help me put a stop to it.
Pa says, 'Oh, you let Jennie alone, and
it will come out all right ;' and I've no
doubt but what it would ef I could hev
patieuce to set still and see a child of
mine make a fool of herself. You see
how It Is. He's heard of her iuberitin'
her Aunt Field's property, and she's a
pooty girl too, and looks well to go
round with : but, If she was as humble
as sin, he'd want to git her jest as bad,
so he could be supported In idleness,and
set In the store and wear his best clothes
every day. And Bhe's takena fancy to
him jest because he's new, and knows
how to say soft things, and is so mighty
perlite and attentive, and has such
white hands, and all the other girls are
so in love with him. They say he's
the best dancer that ever took a step in
this part of the country, and that goes
a good ways with girls before they git
over their folly. But I won't hev him
hangln' round here; and, if you'll help
me put a stop to it, why, we'll do it
right straight off."
" I don't know what I can do about
it," said John gloomily.
" Well, I'll tell you," said Mrs. Cobb.
"Did you know that the turnpike bridge
was broken V"
" Why, yes," said John, looking
somewhat horrified, as If he thought
the lady was contemplating murder.
" And the only way that a body can
git over from Bockville now Is through
the old road, that is kind of pokerlsh,
and runs through that awful dark piece
of woods, where the peddler was mur
dered when grandpa was a boy."
. John looked more and more mys
tified. .
" I always go that way when I have
an errand at Itockvllle," said he, " it is
so much shorter.,'
"So does 'most every body, but not Mr.
Waters. Seth, our hired man, used to
live over to his uncle's : and this Frank
was there, and he says he's the biggest
coward he ever seed in all his born days,
and, no matter how much of a hurry
he's in, he goes 'way round the other
road when he comes over this way, for
fear of seein' the ghost. They say there
is a ghost there, you know ; old Daddy
Jenkins saw it once, and bo did Mis'
Ethan Grindle when Bhe was drivln'
home from the store alone. Now , when
Thursday night comes, I waut you to
dress up in a Bheet, I'll help you rig,
and then drive over, 'in hide in them
woods, and, when Waters comes along
on his way to get Jerjnie, you just ap
pear in the road, and he won't dare to go
past you any more n' 'l if you held out
a pistol, and said, " Your money or your
life.' "
John laughed, but could not at first
be brought to see the wisdom of the
plan.
"What if Jennie really likes him,
after all I" said he, a flush of pain
passing over his face. "And then she
will be disappointed about the dance.
Everybody Is going."
" You can go with her, yourself, af.
terward. You can git home in plenty
of time. John, I'm determined that
you 'shall go, for my sake If not for your
own. I know whether she likes him
or not ; and I know who she does like,
Jin the bottom of her heart."
And John finally consented to as
sume the character of a ghost, and ob
struct the way Mr. Frank Waters on the
road to his lady-love in the shades of
Thursday evening.
Thursday evening came, moonless,
but with plenty of starlight, and a weird
wind moaning in the tree-tops. It was
cold too, and the window-panes were
covered with frost.
Jennie was quite surprised that her
mother made no objection to her going
to the dance with Mr. Waters, and pre
pared to rebel should Bhe be moved to do
at the last moment, was all equipped at
an early hour, and looking her very
prettiest. '
Bob came in with news of what Tilly
Johnson was going to wear, and de
clared that none of the fellows in the
store could find out what girl John
Pendergrast was going to take; but it
was known to a certainty that he was
going, and he'd bought a new team yes
terday " up to the port a reg'lar stun
ner, the best one in the county," Joe
Judson said.
John going to take another girl !
Jennie felt a sudden pang of indignation
at the very thought of it. But, then,
what could she expect, since she was go
ing with another man 'i But he might
have asked her to go before Frank Wa
ters did ; and she would have accepted
the Invitation perhaps. She had sup
posed he wasn't going to the Rockville
dance, because he had said once that he
didn't like the set. He was growing so
stupidly particular lately ; and then he
wasn't nearly as stylish as Mr. Waters
not near as nice to go to dances with,
any way. He could go with whom he
pleased.
This was her train of thought ; but
still she did not look particularly happy
as she sat by the fireside, waiting for her
own escort.
Her mother's behavior puzzled her.
She seemed exceedingly nettled and
nervous, and was mysteriously absent
for some time, keeping the supper wait
ing, and not even Bob could find out
where she had gone. When she return
ed, she seemed in amazingly high spir
its, and was continually indulging in
little bursts of laughter, though the
cause of her merriment was unknown'
to the rest of the family.
" Can it be that she is so pleased that
I am going to the dance with Frank
Waters thought Jennie. " I thought
she adored John, and fairly hated
Frank."
Whereupon Jennie, with the perversi
ty of her sex, began to wish that she
was not going with Frank, after all, but
had waited a little longer for John to
ask her.
The dance, after the staid country
fashion, was to begin at eight o'clock;
and Mr. Waters was to come for Jennie
at a quarter before seven, as it was a
long ride to Rockville Corner. But now
it was fully seven, and he had not yet
made his appearance. Jennie was grow.
ing impatient, and peered poutingly out
of the window. Another half-hour
passed, and still he did not appear.
Jennie tore up-stalrs, and was about to
remove her things, when she concluded
to wait a little longer, as there was a
sound of carriage-wheels in the dis
tance.
" He's a comin,' I guess, Jen," shout
ed Bob from the foot of the stairs ; " but
catch me to go to a dance with a feller't
couldn't keep up to time.'!
Jennie waited anxiously. The car
riage stopped in front of the house ; but
there was no ring of the door-bell. A
quick step came up the walk to the back
door, and in a moment John's voice
was heard from the kitchen.
"Jennie gone to the dance?" she
heard him ask In his loud cheery tone,
'No, she ha'n't," replied Bob.
And for once he had the wisdom to
hold his tongue after giving this Infor
mation. " Indeed I Why, I was pretty sure she
was going, or I'd have asked her myself.
Where Is she? Can I see her t "
" Jen, there's somebody down here
wants to see you," screamed Bob,
" Come down 'a quick's you can, 'cause
he's In a awful hurry."
Jennie went down, she could not do
otherwise, but looking extremely crest
fallen aud mortified.
" John's ben askin' me to go over to
the dance with him, seein 's he thought
you was goln' with somebody else,"
said her mother, with the same wonder
ful disposition to laugh ; " but, now he'a
found out his mistake, he'd ruther hev
you, by a long chalk, I'm sure."
"Will you go, Jennie V" inquired
John gravely.
Jennie looked ready to burst Into
tears.
" You're very good to ask me, under
the circumstances, John ; but"
" Oh, no 'buts,'" said John, feeling
rather guilty and uncomfortable, In spite
of himself. "Come; let us hurry. You
are all dressed, and my pony will take
us over in a twinkling."
And, after a few tears and a few
doubts, Jennie consented. Anything
rather than have the other girls think
she was obliged to stay at home because
she could get no one to take her to the
dance, she thought. And, after all, she
was glad she was going with John.
While she was engaged in putting on
her wraps, Mrs. Cobb, nearly doubled
up with laughter, took John aside.
" I know you succeeded," she said ;
" but do tell me about it, for I am dyln'
to hear how the silly coward acted."
" Oh, I stood directly in the middle of
the road, wrapped in my sheet, and
with the white paint on my face ; and,
when he come in Bight, I lifted a threat
ening finger toward him. He stopped
as suddenly as you please when he
caught sight of me, and I waved him
back in as ghostly and dreadful a man
ner as possible. Then, without making
an effort to come any nearer, he turned
his team, and drove away like mad. I
really thought he would try to pass
me," added John earnestly.
Mrs. Cobb shrieked with laughter ;
but John looked somewhat disturbed.
" I waited some time, thinking he
would get some one to accompany him
over the dangerous ground, and appear
again," he continued : " but I think he
was pretty well frightened ; for he seem
ed to have no control over his horse in
turning, and came near tipping over."
" Was there ever anything so 'cute V
said Mrs. Cobb, clapping her hands. " I
declare ! I believe I must tell pa.whether
he scolds me or not. You did look
awful, though, John."
" I can't help feeling that It was not
exactly the right sort of a trick," said
John ; " and I'm going to confess to
Jennie when I"
"If you do," she threatened, " I'll"
But just then Jennie appeared, and so
of course nothing more was said.
The dance was the greatest success of
the season,and even the girls themselves
agreed that Jennie was the belle. But
Bhe made it a point to dance a good
many dances with John, and only one
with any other gentleman. Mr. Waters'
was not there.
When the bridge on the other road
was ready for travel again, however, he
came over to see Jennie, and was full of
explanations and apologies; but she
Bent him away in a most hopeless con
dition. Six months afterward she was mar
ried to John. He had confessed, and
had been pardoned..
Jennie hated a coward. Then she had
never cared for any one but the lover
of her childhood ; but she had seen him
so constantly that Bhe did not know it
until that little affair with Frank
Waters.
The story that the ghost had appeared
again was spread far and wide. The vil
lage grandmothers talked the murder
over again by the fireside nearly every
evening; aud the village children did
not sleep at night, for fear, after these
thrilling tales.
But the ghost has been quiet and
never once shown himself since the
night of the dance at Rockville Corner.
mm ii
Curious Bible Errors.
Certain editions of the Bible, owing
to the errors they contained, have re
ceived many odd names. What is known
as the " Breeches Bible" (Geneva 1560),
was so called because Genesis Hi, 7, was
translated : " They sewed five leaves
together and made themselves breeches,"
instead of "aprons" as in the English
version now used. In the " Treacle
Bible" (15C8), Jeremiah viii, 22 was
made to read : " Js there no treacle in
Gllead," etc., instead of " balm," and in
1609 the word was changed to " rosin ;"
"balm was first used in 1611. The
" Vinegar Bible," printed in Oxford in
1717, by John Basket, derives its name
from the heading of Luke xx, which
waa made to read : " The parable of the
vinegar." The book had many other
errors from which it has also been called,
after the printer's name, " A Basket of
errors." In 1631 a Bible waa printed In
England, and in 1732 another appeared
in Germany, both of which made the
seventh commandment read:. "Thou
shalt commit adultery," the word "not"
being omitted. It has been very appro
priately called the " Wicked Bible'